IBM has published the following new technical articles, tutorials, and downloads on its DeveloperWorks and AlphaWorks websites. They cover a range of interesting (though not necessarily embedded) technical topics, primarily related to Linux and open source system development. Some require free registration. Enjoy . . . !

• Techniques for memory debugging — Memory errors are the bane of C and C++ programming: they're common, they can impact applications severely, and few development teams have a definite plan for their management. Exercise good memory-related coding practices by creating a comprehensive program to keep memory errors under control.
• Programming the SPEs of Sony Playstation 3 — Take even greater advantage of the synergistic processing elements (SPEs) of the Sony PS3 in this installment of Programming high-performance applications on the Cell BE processor. Part 2 looks in depth at the Cell Broadband Engine processor's SPEs and how they work at the lowest level, while Part 1 showed how to install Linux on the PS3 and explored a short example program.
• Cell Broadband Engine IBM Challenge '07 — Participate in IBM's Cell Broadband Engine Challenge. Novice and expert university students can participate in a quiz and a coding contest for an exciting opportunity to learn, innovate, and contribute to the open source initiative…. And of course, win amazing cash prizes.
• Demystify Linux Bash Test and Comparison Functions — Are you confused by the plethora of testing and comparison options in the Bash shell? This tip helps you demystify the various types of file, arithmetic, and string tests so you will always know when to use test, [ ], [[ ]], (( )), or if-then-else constructs.
• Nifty shell tricks for new UNIX users — The objective of this tutorial is to show new users how to use and implement many of the shell's methods for providing automation at various levels. It demonstrates these methods by giving tricks and tips for special situations, and it also presents a rundown of useful shell one-liners for common tasks.
• Find out what XML is really good for — It's no secret that XML continues to be one of the most popular technologies that's shown up in the last ten years. But what is XML really good for? With XML no longer a new technology, most people have a good idea about how it works, and how they like to use it. However, the jury is still out on XML's “killer application” — the ultimate usage of the data format that seems to justify its creation. As you look at some of the most common usages in this article, you'll quickly see that even experts disagree, and XML can be used — or not used — in lots of different applications.
• Advanced Perl XML tips using XSLT, SAX, and SQL — This article shows you more powerful tools for parsing XML using Perl: DOM-style tree parsers and the SAX event-based parsers. You will learn about XML::SAX::Base and how you can use it to build sources, handlers, and sinks of SAX events. See how to feed transformed parse trees into SAX pipelines, further transform them, and write them as text or to SQL databases. Finally you will learn how to reverse this, using database content to drive SAX pipelines.
• Boost PHP Performance with Opcode Cache — PHP is an easy to use scripting language often used in Web applications. PHP code is parsed and translated to opcodes every time it executes, but there is no need to translate the same PHP code each time. An opcode cache eliminates that rework, making PHP applications faster.
• The Greatest and Latest XForms Tips — At times it is crucial to programmatically control the writability of data in your XForms. This tip shows how you can change the read-only property of controls programmatically. As data changes in your XForms form it can be essential to know and do something with the new data right away. This second tip shows you how to hook such events right into JavaScript methods to then use the data in many different ways.
• Use Perl grep tool for custom LDAP search capability — Many organizations implement some form of LDAP service for storing enterprise directory information. Existing search options allow for a range of lookups based on where certain data is stored in the directory. This article allows you to combine the power of regular expressions with the grep tool to create your own custom LDAP search capability. In the spirit of successful search engines, such as Google, we'll change the search format from a LDAP-style query string to simple and powerful keyword matching and results display.
• Flying Flapjax Better-than-JavaScript for the Web — Flapjax, an improved way to build Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (Ajax) applications, offers more than just a library of conveniences. This tutorial emphasizes simple, self-contained steps to successfully apply Flapjax to real-world problems. Learn how to write and run simple Flapjax programs in several modes, including a compiled form suitable for deployment.

 
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